The murder had occurred last night by 9 pm.
Talking to JM, the dead woman’s niece, Andreína Silva, says that she does not know when exactly everything happened, but everything points to late evening, as she only left the house at 20:40; she was staying that night with an elderly woman she was friendly with.
Half an hour later, she received a call from a neighbour saying that something very serious had happened at her house, as there were 5 PSP cars, two fire brigade vehicles, and the EMIR outside. A few minutes later, she learned that her aunt’s companion, Ernesto Pestana, had been arrested for shooting and killing her aunt, Délia Gouveia, a native of Meia Légua.
For a decade, Délia Gouveia, 53, and her partner, Ernesto Pestana, had been living together. Although recently arguments had become more frequent, especially after they’d had a drink. They like a tipple,” admitted Andreína Silva.
The young woman, still in shock, also told JM that the couple had been missing for 3 days. She said that before leaving for work, she advised them to rest and to stop arguing, it never crossed her mind that a tragedy such as this could occur.
Firstly, because Ernesto’s threats to shoot his partner had seemed what they were, empty threats. Secondly, they were completely unaware that Ernesto had a gun. As the niece told JM, he was the one who called a daughter from another relationship and asked the 17-year-old to call an ambulance.
Délia Gouveia was 53. Ernest is 50.
Our thoughts are with family and friends.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
